OLD and unwanted furniture could be saved from the dump as part of a bid to get a re-use scheme up and running in household recycling centres throughout the county.

Councillors looking into the way the centres are run have called the idea an “important initiative” and would stop second hand fridge freezers, toasters and furniture from being thrown into the landfill.

The system would work by letting people leave working items in a cabin at the site, which other residents could then pick up and take away.

Other places already operate a service and it received the backing of councillors from all parties.

The move will be a change to current rules at recycling centres which block anyone from taking items away and can only be used as a drop off point.

Cllr Ruth Hopkinson is part of the Waste Contracts task group who debated the issue and supports the move that would see all 10 recycling centres in Wiltshire launch a re use scheme.

The issue was discussed during an Environment Select Committee meeting where the task group recommended introducing the scheme and publicising it to the public.

Chairman Sven Hocking said: “We feel it would be good to introduce the recycle spots.

“A good example of this is that my parents often use the service at Romsey and come back with more than they took with them.

“We’ve all seen on the news and television about the plastics in the sea so now is a good time to make recycling quite a prominent feature of what we are trying to do.”

The group also encouraged the council to make reporting fly tipping easier.

Cabinet member for waste Bridget Wayman agreed and added: ““We are encouraging members of the public to come forward with any littering and fly tipping they see and report it through the Wiltshire App.

“I recently had someone get in touch with dashcam footage of someone littering out of the car and we are in the process of reviewing this to see it it can help bring about a prosecution.

"I am sure you are all aware we are keen to stamp this out and littering in general. I think the state of the county at the moment is not looking wonderful, there is a lot of litter lying abut and I am sure we will be having a push to remove all that before grass cutting season starts.”